Name and Address Changes

It is important for students' names and addresses to be kept accurate and up-to-date in their records while they are attending Simmons. Please see the options below to learn how to update these pieces of information on your record.

Legal Name Changes for Current Students

A student's name of record is defined as the legal name under which the student was admitted to Simmons College. Legal name is that name, verified by a birth certificate, marriage certificate, social security card, passport, or court order.

Your legal name appears on all Simmons records, including transcripts, verifications, and diplomas. Current Simmons students who have legally changed their names since the time of admission may request that this change be made on their official records. Former students and alumnae/i who have changed their names since the time of attendance may not have their names updated on their official Simmons records.

Students who wish to change their name from the name of record at the time of admission must provide the Office of the Registrar with legal documentation reflecting their new legal name, such as a marriage license or government-issued ID, as well as a Name Change Form. Forms may be faxed or emailed along with a scanned copy of legal documentation to registrar@simmons.edu or brought to the office with legal documentation in person, in room C-116 in the Main College Building. Name changes are typically processed within one business day of receiving a student's form and documentation.

First Name Updates for Current Students

Your legal name as maintained in the College's database must reflect the name that appears on any official Simmons College documents. Students who legally change their first, middle and/or last name can request to have their name updated in the College’s database which will then be reflected on official college documents, by providing proof of legal name-change and fulfilling the College’s legal name-change process.

However, students who go by a first name that differs from their legal first name but have not undergone the legal name-change process, do have the option to update their first name in AARC. This update will allow students have a first name other than their legal first name reflected on class rosters, Simmons e-mail addresses, and Simmons ID cards.

The College is committed to honoring the names that students choose to go by, and over time, more College systems will be adapted to display students’ chosen names and to streamline name update processes.

Please be aware that inappropriate usage of a first name may be a violation of the Student Code of Conduct and be referred to the Honor Board. The College reserves the right to remove a first name if it is being used inappropriately, for misrepresentation, or to evade legal obligations.

To update your first name on class rosters and Moodle

Log into Simmons Connection with your Simmons username and password and select AARC on the top menu bar.

From the Student menu on the left-hand sidebar, select "Manage Student Personal Info."

In the box labeled "Name," type the first name you would like to be referred by on class rosters. Note, that this field defaults to your legal first name. Additionally, you updates first name will be used in conjunction with your legal last name.

To add your updated First Name on Campus Cards and as Email Aliases

Select the checkbox indicating you would like replace your legal first name in eligible Simmons systems, which includes your Simmons e-mail address and student ID card. Your new card will be available for printing and pick up 24 hours after the request.

Important Notes:

Diplomas must be printed with a student's legal name at the time of graduation, however students can choose to include or leave off their middle name or middle initial on their diploma, as indicated on their Senior Audit (for undergraduates) or Petition to Graduate (for graduate students) form.

Finally, we value each and every community member and will strive to refer to individuals by the name and pronouns of their choosing whenever possible (except in instances where the use of a legal name is required by law). We encourage students who go by a first name other than their legal first name to update their records so that their name is listed as consistently as possible throughout the college. However, for your own privacy- please consider who you feel comfortable having access to and knowledge of your updated name (e.g. your family, peers, faculty and staff, etc.), as the College cannot control the limits of where your name will be used. For example, if a family member were to call the College, it is reasonable to expect that the staff member receiving the call will use the student’s first name as listed in our system.

Q&A

On AARC, what is the difference between a legal first name and a first name

A Legal First Name is the name that appears on your government issued documentation. In AARC, the first name field refers to the name you are to be called by the community if it differs from your legal name.

What eligible Simmons systems will reflect a first name other than my legal first name?

University ID Card

Class Rosters on AARC

School Email address

Moodle

Simmons Connections

Where must my Legal Name be used?

Your Legal Name will be used in business systems and other processes that require use of a Legal Name. These include:

Student Financial Services Documentation

On Health and Counseling Center records

Student health insurance documents

Financial Aid

Transcripts

Academic Certifications

Diplomas

Do I have update my first name in AARC?

No, this is entirely optional. If you want your legal name to be how you are identified on campus then there is no need to fill in this field.

Are there any restrictions to updating a first name?

Names may not be updated for purposes of fraud or misrepresentation. The College reserves the right to remove a Name if it contains inappropriate or offensive language.

Does updating my first name affect my legal name?

No, updating a first name on AARC will not legally change your first name.

Who will have access to my legal name?

College administrators, Health Services, and your supervisor (if you are employed on campus) will have access to your Legal name. College professors and Office of Public Safety will have access to both first names in your student record.

Do I have to get a new Student ID Card or email alias if I choose to update my first name in AARC?

No. Requests for a Student Identification Card reflecting a first name other than your legal first name is only an option for students – and in no way is it a requirement. A student can specify an updated first name to be used on their class rosters and Moodle without automatically generating a new Student identification card or email alias with that name.

Is the Simmons ID Card a form of identification accepted off campus?

It is advisable to carry a government-issued form of ID such as a driver’s license or passport with you in order to access resources that are not on the Simmons campus.

Students in fully online programs that participate in clinical placements should check with Placement Coordinators to discuss potential limitations of using a Simmons ID card with a first name that differs from your legal first name at your placement site.

Can I change my email address to match my updated first name?

Yes, by selecting the checkbox a request will be submitted to Simmons Technology to begin the process to add an email alias with your updated first name. Note that while we are not able to completely delete your existing email alias, and your username and password have not changed, we are able to add the new alias to your account, but your old email alias will still exist. You may also change your email display name (the name the appears beside your email) in your Gmail settings under Accounts.

May I request a Simmons Username and computer login that uses my updated first name?

No. Your username is generated by your legal name at the time your student account is created, however most only use your first initial and last name.

Pronouns

Simmons students identify with a wide variety of genders, or no gender. The College supports this self-identification, and current students may update their Pronouns on AARC at any time.

Log into Simmons Connection with your Simmons username and password and select AARC on the top menu bar.

From the Student menu on the left-hand sidebar, select "Manage Student Personal Info."

In the box labeled "Preferred Pronouns," type the pronouns you would like others to use for you.

These pronouns will appear on class rosters and will be stored in some administrative systems.

Address Changes for Current Students

Current students can change their addresses at any time on AARC. To change your address:

Log into Simmons Connection with your Simmons username and password and select AARC on the top menu bar.

From the Student menu on the left-hand sidebar, select "Manage Contact/Emergency Info."

Under Addresses, you can edit or remove an existing address by clicking Edit next to that address.

To remove the address, be sure to add an Effective End Date and click Submit at the bottom of the screen.

To add a new address, click Add a new Address on the Manage Contact/Emergency Info page.

Enter in the address information and any landline phone numbers (not cell numbers) associated with the address.

Select whether the address is a permanent/home address, temporary/local address, or business address.

If you would like to receive your Simmons mail at this address, check the "I prefer to receive my mail at this address" box.

Click Submit to save the new address in the system.

If you are having any difficulty updating your address, feel free to contact the Office of the Registrar at registrar@simmons.edu for assistance in updating your record.

Name & Address Changes for Former Students

Once a student has graduated or withdrawn from Simmons, the Office of the Registrar no longer updates their record unless they enroll in a new program. All former students wishing to update name or address information with Simmons should contact Alumnae/i Relations.

College Policy states that a student's name on their official college records (transcript, diploma, verifications) remains their name during attendance. Any exceptions to this policy due to extenuating circumstances must be approved by the College Registrar.